2 Peter 2:21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.
This verse hints at the type of judgment a false teacher should expect to receive from God. The Bible implies that there will be levels of judgment. Each person will receive what he or her deserves. God will revenge those who do evil. Those in positions of leading God’s people will be held to a high standard because they are “stewards of divine mysteries” (1 Corinthians 4:1). Peter is specifically speaking about those who had believed and experienced salvation who turn their back on Jesus. Peter may be thinking about Judas, whom Peter knew for at least three years. He might be remembering the words of Jesus in Matthew 26:24, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” The key idea is to know the word truth and teach it to others accurately. This is not just the job of the pastor but anyone who has influence over other people: parents, grandparents, Sunday School teachers, small group leaders, chaplains, youth leaders, and so on. We must make sure that what we say, teach, and live is consistent with the truth of the gospel. This will require that we read the Bible, study it well, come to know God’s revelation, learn to apply it in relevant ways. Peter’s words seem harsh in this verse, and they are indeed very strong. To know and experience the truth of Jesus and to turn from it in selfishness to pursue the deceit of the world is a serious matter. We must be ever vigilant in our desire to know God. The truth really does matter.
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